You Are Your Child's First Teacher
by Rahima Baldwin Dancy
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Book Summary Information
Author: Rahima Baldwin DancyEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 2000-08
ISBN: 0890879672
Number of pages: 384
Publisher: Celestial Arts
Book Reviews of You Are Your Child's First Teacher
Book Review: A Review
Summary: 3 Stars
Dancy's book provides a good introduction to Waldorf and Steiner child-raising. I think it is helpful and valuable in that respect. But it is important to bear in mind that it is really just an opinion book, without much science or studies to back it up. Her two main sources of information are Rudolf Steiner and Barry L. White. Steiner got all of his ideas from his spiritual insights. Barry L. White is a researcher with Harvard associates who wrote two books about early childhood development. I googled White, and could not find a web page about him, nor a Wikipedia entry. I found out nothing more about him.
I think this book is a good way to learn more about the Waldorf and Steiner perspective, but do not expect much in the way of factual evidence. Instead she relies on anecdote, and sometimes her own perception of what she has seen.
Example: Dancy says that children should be given natural and unfinished toys like dolls without finished faces and gives a couple reasons. I agree that these toys are more attractive and interesting to children and toddlers, but it's her backup examples that were purely speculative. One reason was that she once saw a photopgraph of a child holding a finished toy with a smile, and she thought the child was blindly imitating the toy's expression. Her second reason was that she heard a story about a girl who was droopy and listless and always carried around a doll that was droopy and listless. When the girl was given a new toy that was more natural, then the girl perked right up.
Overall, this book provides an interesting perspective, but it is suffused with Steiner's spiritual insights (which sometimes sound a bit wierd). Dancy offers her reader a very loving and caring approach to child raising that make one more aware. The book allows for some thoughtful reflection on the part of her audience. But do not read this book expecting much in the way of research. She makes a lot of statements and contentions that do not have any citation or evidence to back them up. Thankfully, she does refer to the work of David Elkind, professor at Tufts, a few times and his research into child development.
I read this book with thoughtful interest and brought along a grain of salt.
Summary of You Are Your Child's First Teacher
Details what parents can do with and for their children, from birth to age six. This resource book offers new ways for parents to understand their children and provide opportunities to increase their confidence in what they are doing while making the most of the early years. 384 pages.Household Hints Books
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